Texas woman, 81, awarded $60K after 5-year fight against ‘sovereign immunity’ — what it could mean for others

moneywise ^ | Jun 20, 2025 | Jessica Wong

[where's_the_Outrage?]

sovereign immunity protects state agencies, counties, and cities. Sovereign immunity is meant to shield public agencies from endless lawsuits that could drain taxpayer dollars and gum up government operations.

Where is the corresponding protection from our out of control governments protecting citizens from "lawsuits that could drain taxpayer dollars and gum up" our lives? Just look at the lawfare against Trump.

[joshua c]

did the decision not to pay cost someone their job?

did mckinney voters clean house?

[simpson96]

She went through all that, and got $60k.

I’m just mentally comparing that to the paydays so many frivolous lawsuit filers get.

[alternatives?]

You think she would have received legal fees. Unfortunately the city’s legal fees were paid by taxes.

[NorthMountain]

Where is the corresponding protection from our out of control governments

Governments always act to protect themselves.

[crusty old prospector]

Sadly, she does not appear to be entitled to a major cash award. D’oh.

[Red Badger]

plus interest ..............

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

You see this is why people don't like the government and police.

The damage might have been necessary but you fix what you broke. And to the person on the thread who is going to whine about the poor taxpayers.... for the love of mike. Fifty thousand was not going to bankrupt the city, the police department or any other official entity and they spent five or six times that amount on lawyer bills.

It is not a hard concept, when you broke it you fix what you can for your innocent citizens.

And people will not loath you.

[I want the USA back]

So the local government is essentially a dictatorship with infinite powers. “sovereign immunity” and “eminent domain” are proof of that. The Constitution doesn’t apply when government doesn’t want it to apply.

[Red Badger]

Just inflation alone makes that $74,767.71.

https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=60000&year1=202001&year2=202505

[9YearLurker]

Seems like there should be a bigger payment for making her wait and go through 5 years in the courts!

[Red Badger]

5% Simple Annual Interest yields $76,576.89............

https://www.calculator.net/interest-calculator.html?cstartingprinciple=60%2C000&cannualaddition=0&cmonthlyaddition=0&cadditionat1=beginning&cinterestrate=5&ccompound=annually&cyears=5&cmonths=0&ctaxtrate=0&cinflationrate=3&printit=0&x=Calculate#interestresults

[TheDon]

You make an obvious point that is addressed in the fifth amendment in regards to this case:

“nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation”

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Yep.

And this was an "taking". The lawyers argue that "we gave it back", but not in the condition that you took it.

And also insurance needs to have it's horns trimmed. They have bought so many exceptions and exemptions for their coverage that it is becoming questionable if they are worth it.

[al_c]

The City of McKinney will appeal ... tying up this decision in the courts for years.

[newzjunkey]

Sovereign immunity should NEVER apply to these situations

[TangoLimaSierra]

You can bet they didn’t give her any breaks on property tax during those years either.

[Mouton]

I bet the 60K is before lawyer fees.

[Hot Tabasco]

I bet the 60K is before lawyer fees.

No fees, the IJ represent individuals free of charge when their constitutional rights are violated by the government.

[Mouton]

Excellent!